If you’ve ever mowed the lawn before, you know how amazing grass is. You can stomp on it, cut it almost all the way down to its roots, abuse it, and it grows back stronger and stronger all the time.
In many ways your body’s muscles are the same way. As you’re building strength and flexibility, you are creating micro tears that heal longer and stronger (hopefully) than before.
All good.
This is why you get sore, and I’m sure this is not news to you… but what about your joints?
What about if you pop your arm straight 20 times in a row until your elbow is throbbing?
What if you do so many squats your knees swell up like melons?
Do you elbows and knees get stronger? Almost never. Muscle soreness is a sign of progress (as long as you can still walk straight) but joint pain is a sign of injury, or soon to be.
So when you practice, expect your quads to burn and your hamstrings to get sore after a hard session. That’s OK.
But do everything you can to keep your knees, shoulders, elbows and lower back pain-free. Soreness there is a red flag – don’t smoke your joints!
Stay bendy,
Lucas
